Snake’s head fritillaries and crown imperial fritillaries are strange-sounding names for very unusual plants. For a photographer, the flowers make an enticing subject and I was lucky enough to be able to take some pictures of them in my friend Judy’s beautiful garden. (Thanks, Judy – I had a lovely time!)
The snake’s head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) gets its name from the shape of the unopened flower bud – long and pointy at the tip – a bit like a viper’s head. It has other folk-names, according to Richard Mabey’s ‘Flora Britannica’ (a fascinating book, worth dipping into if you happen to get the chance). These include crowcups, leper’s bells, sulky ladies, and frawcups (possibly derived from a place-name).
These fritillaries were recorded to be growing in gardens in the UK in 1578 but not recorded in the wild until 1736. Some say that this suggests they may not be native to the UK but, even so, they used to be seen in their thousands growing in damp meadows. Sadly, as agriculture developed over time and land was drained and ‘improved’, they lost these habitats. There are still a few places where they can be found growing wild and, thankfully, they’re popular with gardeners, so they are still able to create a magical sight every spring.
The tiny chequered markings on the snake’s head flowers are irresistible. They make me want to get as close as I can to photograph the flower, in an attempt to show how much they look as if they’ve been carefully painted on by hand. The graceful shape of the flower, with those almost umbrella-like ribs at the top adds to the attraction. (Doesn’t it look just as if the petals are fabric, stretching over the ribs that are holding it in shape? Umbrellas for the ‘wee folk’!) The way the bell of the flower hangs from its curving stem, with one or two long and slender leaves soaring up from it, completes a very elegant flower.
The crown imperial fritillary is very different from its serpent-like sister. A dramatically long stem holds the bold cluster of flowers up high. Instead of the one or two leaves rising above the flowers, there is a generous top-knot of leaves, giving a very distinctive appearance. This ‘crown’ of arching leaves is said to have given the plant its name, due to its resemblance to the shape of an imperial crown. However, a competing claim suggests that the name derives from the plant having been grown in the Imperial Botanic Garden in Vienna after the plant was brought there from Persia in 1576.
Like the snake’s head fritillary, I wanted to be able to get close enough to the flower of the orange crown imperial to show the markings on its petals. (The veins on the petals of the yellow version are barely visible by comparison.) These darker veins create a strong pattern of lines that make the flower even more pleasing to photograph. These flowers are such star performers when you come to take their photograph, that I think I will need to try growing some fritillaries in my own garden.
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 
Beautiful pictures of these exquisite flowers, Ann!!
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Thank you, Indira! I’m glad you like them! 🙂
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Gosh Ann – these flowers are gorgeous and so unusual. I have never seen anything like them. I liked the name of the one – sulkie ladies! Wonder how it got that name?
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Thank you, Syd! I like that name too! Sulky ladies could come from them hanging their heads and maybe from the sombre purple – but that is just a guess! 🙂
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Your photos and descriptions are beautiful, and do these plants justice. I have added that book to my wish list!
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Aw, Thank you Ali! Mabey’s book is very interesting – got mine secondhand from an Amazon seller. 🙂
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I thought I already commented on this….
These are exquisite flowers!I have never seen them in our place, Ann!! 🙂
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Looks like you did, but a second comment is always welcome, hehe! They are very unusual…I love their looks! 🙂
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I had one of these pretty flowers in my garden too, but only for one year! They are so special!
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I tried to grow the snake’s head fritillaries in my first garden, but I think the soil was too dry and they didn’t do very well. I’ll have to try again here…
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Ann, thank you for this post! I did not know of fritillaries before today. As always, your pictures are so beautiful. Between you and Ali (Mindful Gardener), I am getting such a good botanitcal education.
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Thanks for the lovely comment, Shelly! I enjoy Ali’s blog too – and the ‘community’ feel of blogging. 🙂
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I’ve always liked fritillaries. I should really try planting some.
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Glad you liked them, Jill. They do look wonderful, especially growing ‘naturally’ through grass – must try them in my own garden!
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These flowers are truly amazing, and your photos too! I have seen them before, but not for a long time. Thanks for sharing!!
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Thank you Laurel! They’re lovely little flowers – just wish I had some growing in my own garden. (Will have to do something about that!) I’m very glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
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Much of our back “lawn” (infested with buttercup) is probably “damp meadow” judging by how well the buttercup is doing. Makes me think we should be trying fritillaries. We’ve seen the crown and snake’s head frits growing at Maple Glen and at Gore Public Gardens – they look so wonderful! Thanks for making me think of it 🙂
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Sounds like it would be fine there. They do look lovely naturalised in grass…
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